Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Mistakes happen folks – some big, some small – some on a national scale. However, more often than we care to admit, the mistakes in the work place are minor communication snafus that can lead to rather large headaches.
No worries UnSpun fans, this isn’t a “g’bye” post where I admit I’ve been fired for inappropriate emails...yet. However, something has come up in conversation lately regarding how easy it is to “almost screw up big” in the workplace.
Now that we have more ways to communicate than ever (email, IM, Facebook, some phone doo-hicky, carrier pigeons and of course body art) we have more ways in which to send the wrong message to someone by mistake.
It can be as simple as an auto-populate feature sending an email to the wrong reporter, or a less than appropriate message about someone sent to that very person.
Common sense says that if you wouldn’t want to see it in print, than you probably shouldn’t write it down. However, for those out there that like to live dangerously – here is a tip. Always double check the “to” portion of whatever you are using: email, IM, whatever. Sometimes it is even more important than hitting spell check before an official sign off. Below are some helpful articles– feel free to learn from the misfortunate.
Doh! The Most Disastrous E-Mail Mistakes
5 E-Mail Etiquette Mistakes to Avoid
Anyone out there have a good story to share? You can hide the names in order to protect the innocent, these horror stories may help some folks who are exiting school and entering the workplace for the first time.
Anyone feel like sharing?
Comments
(1) Don't put "Hi" or "RE:" in the subject line. Subject: means Re(garding).
(2) Change subject line when replying repeatedly to a person, if the topic changes. Don't do "RE: RE: RE: RE: client X ad strategy meeting".
(3) One idea per email.
(4) Keep it brief, to the point, and professional.
(5) Edit. Remove emotional excess, self-congratulatory statements, effusiveness.
(6) Twitterize: brief as possible.
(7) Short and sweet.
(8) Non-prolix.
Posted by: vaspers the grate aka steven e. streight | September 25, 2007 11:06 AM
Ah, haven't we all fallen victim to this one?
At one of my first jobs a few years back, a coworker sent around a humorous video of Jean Claude Van Damme in a unitard dancing like a dork in some early 80's movie--and accidentally CC'd an important company bigwig.
The worst part was that all the other coworkers he'd cc'd started hitting "reply all" with their off-color commentary without checking who they were replying to. Definitely spiraled out of control!
Posted by: Sarah Wurrey | September 25, 2007 11:15 AM
I have a story to share. I worked at a commercial real estate firm and was responsible for taking the blue prints to the printer. Each day, I'd send around an email to the entire firm as a last call for the printer. Well, I was included in an email chain of inappropriate discussion in which some of the admins were making fun of fellow employees. Well, instead of forwarded my "last call for blueprints" email, I forwarded the R-rated email chain. I had no idea what I had done until I heard a catfight break out in the other room. I then received a dreaded phone call from the President of the firm. I wasn't fired, but I didn't have any invitations to go to lunch for months.
Posted by: Dan | September 25, 2007 03:02 PM